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WILKES-BARRE TWP. - For a couple of reasons - one sentimental and the other practical - the timing of defenseman Philip Samuelsson's recent promotion to Pittsburgh couldn't have been much better.

Two days after he was called up on Dec. 16, he played against the New York Rangers, the team for which his father, one-time Pittsburgh defenseman Ulf Samuelsson, is an assistant coach.

"As soon as I saw that I was getting called up, I looked and saw it was the Rangers. That was pretty special," Samuelsson said.

The elder Samuelsson was beloved during his stay in Pittsburgh from 1990-95. He was known as a linebacker on skates in a town that loves hard-hitting defense. The younger Samuelsson got a taste of the city's admiration for his dad during his call-up.

"They showed him on the Jumbotron during the game and (the fans) were kind of going nuts," Samuelsson said. "It was nice to see they still acknowledge him."

Putting sentimentality aside, the timing of the call-up was also good for Samuelsson's career.

A third-year pro out of Boston College, Samuelsson played his first 137 AHL games without being promoted. He's a second-round draft pick who has improved steadily and dramatically since his rookie year, but given the surplus of defensemen in the Penguins prospect pool, he could have easily been lost in the shuffle.

The call-up helped raise his profile. Samuelsson played between 13 and 18 minutes in each of his five NHL games, seeing some time on the penalty kill. He didn't look out of place and the parent Penguins went 4-1 during the stretch.

"It's nice to get that recognition from management that I've come a long way since I first started pro," Samuelsson said. "It's nice to see that they evaluate me as a prospect still."

Media matters

Because he is the son of a well-liked former Penguin - a Pittsburgh television station has video of him as a toddler being taught how to brush his teeth by his dad - Samuelsson was a bit of a media darling during his call-up.

It was a change from life in the AHL, where he has a maximum of two print reporters and two TV cameras in his locker stall after games or practices.

"It's certainly different," he said. "The hockey markets in the NHL are obviously a lot bigger. In Pittsburgh, there are a lot of people that cover the team. It's part of being a pro and it's something I enjoy doing."

Riding the wave

Winger Taylor Pyatt had no goals, one assist and a minus-9 rating in 22 games with the New York Rangers this season. So Pittsburgh's acquisition of him on waivers Thursday isn't going to change their Stanley Cup odds in the Las Vegas sportsbooks.

It was a significant move all the same, and here's why.

Since the start of the season, Pittsburgh lost wingers Steve MacIntyre, Matt D'Agostini and Dustin Jeffrey on waivers and Pascal Dupuis to a season-ending knee injury.

Even if their other injured forwards - Chris Conner, Beau Bennett, Jayson Megna and Andrew Ebbett - have no setbacks and return to the lineup as soon as possible, the team is still down four forwards from its preseason depth chart.

The acquisition of Pyatt helps stem that tide.

He's a hockey player

Stories of toughness in the face of injury are common in hockey, but Penguins center Zack Torquato can tell a better tale than most.

On Feb. 14, 2012, while playing for the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers, an opposing player stepped on his hand, severing the tip of his middle finger. After reconstructive surgery - the finger isn't exactly good as new, but it's pretty close, restored to about the same length as his index finger - he was back in the lineup by March 11.

"Anytime someone can have an event like that happen to them and come back in the same year, and compete in the playoffs, I think that speaks volumes about his desire and want to be a professional player and to win games and be a contributing factor," coach John Hynes said.

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